Kimberley Barber

A VILLAGE stores is preparing a delicious treat to commemorate the D-Day landings and to celebrate the role the area played in the war effort.

Southwick Village Stores, in Southwick, near Fareham, has been cooking up recipes for pasty fillings, to fill the stomachs of the hundreds of tourists expected to descend on the village later this year.

The D-Day landings and the liberation of Framce were partly planned from Southwick House and the lounge bar of the Golden Lion pub became the unofficial Officers’ Mess for the senior Allied Commanders.

Southwick Village Stores owner Rich Shaw wanted to do something to recognise the village’s importance, and hit upon the idea of pasty fillings.

Rich, 32, said: ‘We are expecting a lot of visitors to the village to commemorate the 70 years.

‘The store acts as a hub where people can come in and get information and we have a lovely tea rooms where they can grab some lunch.

‘There are even some of the older villagers who can remember the end of the war. The village was important as the likes of Churchill and Eisenhower held secret meetings here and the troops hid over the back of the hill away from German bombers.’

The store has whittled the fillings down to three – The Churchill, The Resistance, and The Ration Pasty – and is hoping to find a clear winner by the end of next week.

The shop will be selling the pasties on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and it will be running a competition on its Facebook page ‘Southwick Village Stores’ to see which one gets the most likes.

The most popular pasty will be crowned the official Southwick D-Day commemoration pasty and will be sold until June 6.

The pasties all contain Liberation Ale, brewed by Suthwyk Ales, in Southwick.

Martin Bazeley, owner of Suthwyk Ales, 56, said: ‘On the back of the bottles of ale, there is a photo of two girls in Southwick with American GIs, which was taken in the run-up to D-Day. The Americans camped out south of Southwick and girls would go there for candy and the cinema.

‘One of those two girls is my mother and the other is her friend, they were only 13 at the time.’

He added: ‘It would be impossible to plan something like D-Day now, it was clearly the most ambitious of plans and Southwick was central to that. It is important that Southwick is recognised in the commemorations.’

The pasties already have a favourite to win, with Rich and Martin both plumping for The Churchill.

Shop assistant Mary Parish, from Paulsgrove, agreed.

Mary, 81, said: ‘The beef tastes the best, not snails. The thought of it makes me feel sick, and I’m not sure about the Spam either.’

The News was given a preview of the pasties to taste test.

All the pasties are split into three sections, with one end being made up of a traditional Southwick pasty recipe of potato, swede, carrot, beef and black pepper.

There is a centre made of Liberation Ale, from local brewery Suthwyk Ales. The other end is filled with a choice of the below:

THE CHURCHILL

A delicious recipe of beef bourguignon, made of fine cuts of beef from Tulls of Wickham, with red wine, garlic, mushrooms, onion and thyme.

Mais oui! 10/10

THE RESISTANCE

A chewy and garlic experience made up of French delicacy escargot – or snails in English. Packed out with herbs and potatoes.

Pas mal. 5/10

THE RATION PASTY

Made up of Spam and oatmeal, this pasty puts the ration times of the Second World War into perspective. No wonder people were overjoyed when rationing ended. C’est dégueulasse. 2/10